When U.S. President George W. Bush makes his final tour of European capitals next week, he can expect a less-than-fond farewell on a continent where leaders are already looking past him to his successor.
Behind the smiles and handshakes, there will be quiet relief among his European hosts who see an end to the Bush era as a chance for the next president to repair a U.S. image abroad that has been damaged by the Iraq war and other policies.
Bush will use a U.S.-European Union summit in Slovenia as a launching point for his June 9-16 trip and then will travel to Germany, Italy, France and Britain - trans-Atlantic partners with whom he has not always seen eye to eye. He also will visit Northern Ireland and meet Pope Benedict at the Vatican.
Despite his busy itinerary, Bush's tour will be a reminder of his waning international influence as the world waits to see whether fellow Republican John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama wins the White House in the November election.
"Bush will travel in a little bubble from palace to palace," said Joseph Cirincione, a Washington foreign policy analyst. "He'll have welcoming ceremonies, photo ops, even some praise - and then he'll be quickly forgotten."
With less than eight months to go before Bush leaves office, European leaders are expected to offer him little if anything to narrow the gap with Washington on issues like climate change, a resurgent Russia and a defiant Iran.
Mindful that Bush is even more unpopular across much of Europe than he is at home, the White House itself has no lofty hopes for Bush's trip, which is expected to draw large protests in countries where anti-Bush sentiment runs highest.
Still, Bush aides are hopeful his personal diplomacy with allies like France and Germany will help put once-bitter divisions over Iraq behind them, giving a much-needed boost to his battered legacy.
"I don't think you're going to see dramatic announcements on this trip," said Stephen Hadley, Bush's national security adviser. He said the goal instead would be limited to trying to "advance the ball" on a range of issues.
